Wednesday Creature Feature ~ November 29, 2017

Thanks to the United States House and Senate, hunters in Alaska can track and kill hibernating bears. Donald Trump signed the bill on Monday, which previously had a ban on killing hibernating bears as well as wolves. This new bill will allow hunters to target these animals and even target them from helicopters. This will impact 76.8 million acres of federally protected land across Alaska!!!

Being able to track and kill a defenseless animal as it sleeps for the winter is a heinous crime! Senator Dan Sullivan believes that the change was for Alaskans “who value hunting as a deep part of their culture”. The Humane Society made the following statement,

“What the House did today should shock the conscience of every animal lover in America,” said Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle in a statement. “If the Senate and president concur, we’ll see wolf families killed in their dens [and] bears chased down by planes.”

Earlier in October a cat named Fudge went missing and was found two weeks later nearly 300 miles away. The pet’s owner tracked down Fudge by using his microchip – apparently fudged hopped in a holidaymaker’s van in and took a cat holiday. Although Fudge’s owners were able to track him down he kept moving. Finally they received a call after seeing pictures on social media of the cat, and gave his current location. He is 17 years old but living life to the fullest. To learn more about Fudge’s journey click here.

Close Call with a Polar Bear!

Doug Allen is one of the world’s best nature cameramen. He has filmed some amazing and breathtaking scenes for television, including a career with the National Geographic. Doug has traveled all over the world including the Arctic and Antarctic. As a nature cameraman he has had to get pretty close to some very big animals animals when filming, but he has not had an experience quite like this. He has spent approximately 620 days searching and recording polar bears but one day a polar bear came looking for him. Doug and his colleague both had their backs to the window on their excursion when all of a sudden the giant white polar bear had its nose squeegeed up against the window.

To learn more about Doug’s close encounters with a variety of other animals go here!